KUALA LUMPUR: National men’s hockey team captain Sukri Mutalib (pic) believes his teammates are ready to face the challenge in the FIH Men’s Series Finals Kuala Lumpur 2019 which begins today.
Sukri, who has just recovered from a finger injury said although there was pressure to perform at home with qualifying for the Olympics part of the equation, the squad were mature enough to face the situation.
“The target is high and pressure is there, so it is a challenge for us.
“The team has faced a similar situation before, such as in the World Hockey League Semifinal Round in London.
“At the time, the players also felt the pressure, but we took it on as a team and eventually went on to the World Cup. “I believe we are able to handle the pressure well and achieve our goals,” he said during a press conference with Malaysian team at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil here, on Wednesday.
Malaysia need to advance to the finals to enable them to get an easier draw in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics qualifying campaign. – Bernama
